Students Again Dazzle Museum Crowd With Their Restorative Powers

With the vehicle's original owner present and blessed with tangible encouragement from some serious antique-automobile enthusiasts, a 1978 Pontiac Firebird Esprit restored by students in Penn College's School of Transportation Technology was returned to the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum on Saturday. Parked in front of the Hershey facility, next to a 1965 Mustang convertible painstakingly refurbished by students during the 2009-10 school year, the Firebird drew deserved attention for its return to showroom quality. "It's incredible," said Patricia K. Lovaas, the retired Army psychiatric nurse who bought the car new and drove it for 21 years before donating it to the museum in December 2009. "They did such a great job." Representing the college at the ceremony, held during an annual car show at the museum, were alumni Glen F. Sutter, of Vernon, N.J., and Ryan J. Levesque, of West Chester; and student Robert A. Talipski, of Scranton, who all worked on the car; Steven H. Wallace, assistant dean of transportation technology; Debra M. Miller, director of corporate relations; and Michael R. Bierly, a member of the collision repair faculty. Penn College already has received the next museum piece to be restored in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years: a 1970 Chevelle Super Sport 396.